


Traditions

by Sombraline



Category: Avengers, Avengers movieverse, Iron Man - Fandom, Norse Mythology, Thor - Fandom, marvel movies
Genre: Family, Fluffy, Gen, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Wedding, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-13
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 21:18:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/841491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sombraline/pseuds/Sombraline
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Dear friends, </p><p>You are graciously invited to the wedding of Anthony Stark, warrior of Midgard, engineer/forger and scientist/sorcerer, with Loki of Asgard, sorcerer, God of Fire, Chaos, Lies, Mischief, etc. The ceremony will be a mix of Midgardian and Asgardian traditions. Please take note that your weapons will be removed at the door. Confirm your presence as soon as possible by private messenger, e-mail, and/or letter. </p><p>We hope to see you soon.</p><p>Loki & Tony</p><p>PS: The extra-terrestrial guests should take knowledge of a few customs of Midgard. See the annexe for more informations."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah! My very first fanfic posted on Ao3!
> 
> So, yup. The story will probably be short, fluffy, cute (if I can make it so) and will just show Loki and Tony as they decide to make their relation legitimate for both Realms. I plan it to have between 3 and 5 chapters that will be rather short. It's just to start the summer with something light to make me write.
> 
> I'm not a native english speaker, by the way. I do my best, but feel free to point out any mistakes I did!

« This plottwist doesn't make any sense. »

The words sounded as annoyed as they were vaguely amused, naturally piercing through the silence of the living room, that had only been disturbed by the muffled sound of the TV until now.

« What is it this time? » Tony asked, looking up from the hologram he had been working on for a few minutes, curious to see what was bothering the god, this time.

« The way the parents of this prince are reacting », Loki precised with a gesture to the TV screen, on which played a romantic comedy JARVIS had suggested earlier.

A few months earlier, Tony would probably have taken advantage of the situation to mock Loki as much as he could. To his own defense, there was something deeply amusing in the sight of the god of destruction, sitting down cross-legged in his couch, watching cheesy movies with all the analytic serious in the world, commenting and meditating every soapy remarks of the characters.

The human, though, knew better than to dare say anything about it.

The last time he had, snickering in amusement while Loki protested about 'whoever was stupid enough to seriously imagine sparkly and vegetarian vampires', he had ended up with very obvious bite marks in his neck. They had lasted for nearly three weeks, in which he had never managed to hide them from the press or from Fury. Which, really, had been more distracting than anything else. But still.

« Their son just broke a visibly very important political alliance between their Realm and the land of Spain », the god continued, frowning. « All that, just to go back with the servant he fell for. Such a promise betrayed would never be welcomed with a laugh by any king with a bit of sense in his mind.»

« It's a fairy tale, Loki », the human mumbled, trying to hide his amusement. « I really doubt that the real Francis the First accepted to marry his son to a servant, no matter how cute she was. Though, who knows, with these French guys », he added for himself. « I'm kind of sure that one of them died by hitting his head against a doorframe, so, yeah, I guess that abandoning a Spanish princess to wed a girl who'll welcome him by throwing apples to his face...»

« There's nothing wrong with imaginating realistic and romantic stories », the god mumbled without listening to him. « I really don't see what the problem of these human writers is.

« Oh, yeah. Coming from a space viking who gave up on his titles to court a mortal engineer, I must admit that I can only agree with you », Tony confirmed with irony. « Do you have arranged marriages in Asgard, by the way? »

« There were some in the past », Loki answered after a small pause.

The tone was calmer than before, suddenly less grumpy, and Tony raised an eyebrow, giving up on his Starkpad for now to study the pale, expressionless face.

« ...Am I still unaware of the existence of a bothering ex-wife? » He asked tentatively.

« Two. Minor unions, for which Thor's status of heir to the throne were too importante. But they were fortunately short. »

« Did you love them? » The mortal asked, turning back to look at the screen, even if his attention was entirely focussed on the god to his side, who shrugged for all answer.

« Sigyn was a noble from Vanheim, a great witch, I must admit. A friend, if not a lover I specially loved. Angrbrodr was a dark elf, whose presence was never so pleasant to my eyes. There is little to say about them. I didn't try to know them so much. »

Tony nodded slowly, not asking for more details. Silvertongue or not, the tone used by the god hid nothing of the tired bitterness of its owner to the memory, and that was all he needed to know.

Through the months they had spent together, since Loki had finished his punishment on Earth by repairing every single crack in the sidewalks, and every broken windows of Manhattan (the construction industrie had held a protest for two weeks after they had lost their most profiteering contract in the last twenty years, but the USA government had refused to argue further with Asgard, especially after Loki had offered -reluctantly- to use his powers to slow down the global warming by freezing back miles of melted pack ice), Tony had had more than the time he needed to start understanding what the silences in the other's words meant.

If the god spoke more and more freely around him, his most unstable and uncomfortable emotions were almost always hidden behind a calm tone and a lack of expression that told a lot. Loki was betraying himself by hiding only the most important, while the rest was starting to be said carelessly.

It was the same bored tone that had announced to Tony that the god had given up on his royal titles and considered to live on Earth, and the same indifferent expression that had explained that, maybe, eventually, he wasn't mad that the mortal had « accidentally » kissed him.

So, Tony understood, the wives (or was it a wife and a husband?) were a delicate subject. Either Loki realised how much he let his lover know, or not, he didn't insist further, his eyes on the screen while the film ended and he sneered once more, mockingly, about humanity's poor writers, all while he smiled discreetly when the servant appeared, wearing a crown, and the movie was over with a happy ending.

Tony didn't insist either, just rolling his eyes at Loki's comments, but an idea had appeared in the back of his mind, and refused to move from there. The kind of idea that would make JARVIS sigh when he would hear it, like only the AI could to do it, by a metallic sound of annoyance.

The kind of idea that made JARVIS, half an hour later, when the engineer locked himself up in his lab and ordered him to find the most powerful laser he could, the rest of the metal he had created for his last heart, and pure gold. Lots of pure gold.

~~~~~~~

« Loki? If you're done polishing your nails, can I talk to you for a second? »

No, he wasn't even mocking his lover. Loki had actually gotten used to polish his fingernails once a week, very cautiously, always in black, sitting in front of the huge window of the Tower. He had started as soon as he had known how Pepper changed the color of her nails repeatedly, without magic. Tony had tried his best to explain that the habit was mostly feminine, before they went to the SHIELD on that week, Loki had refused to hear anything. Tony knew when a fight was lost before it began and he had given up. And since Loki did whatever he wanted, he had given up. 

« What is it? » The god asked without looking up from his left hand, that he was finishing to dry with a range and with a lot of concentration.

« Dinner is ready, and I'd like to talk to you », the human explained with a vague gesture of his hand, more nervous than he'd admit.

« Did I commit some mistakes again? » Loki's voice was openly annoyed when he continued : « If it's about what I did to the little bird's breakfast yesterday, I would like to insist that he asked for it. »

« No, no, no mistake. I think. Just -take your time, but I'm waiting, okay? »

« Just a minute », Loki promised while testing the polish on his nails, curious to hear what his mortal wanted.

~~~~~~~

« You... You probably noticed that I spent a lot of time in my lab in the last few days. I mean -no, you did notice, since you refused to talk to me when I joined you to bed this morning. And when I kissed Mark XXIII instead of you in the living yesterday. But- Well, no, I mean, I know you're angry about it- »

« Tony. Stick to the facts », the god sighed, rubbing his forehead in an exasperated gesture, visibly more concerned with his not-entirely dry fingernails than with the human who sat cross-legged before him and stammered uncomfortably. « I do not plan to apologise. »

« No, I mean- I didn't plan to ask you to. I -I just, I guess that I should apologise, but the moment isn't good to crawl, and -actually, I should maybe just wait for you not to be mad at me, but then you'd know that I waited and you'd probably call me a hypocrit- »

« Tony », Loki insisted, raising an eyebrow.

\- « Yeah, yeah -so, er, so, what I want to say -I -that, that's what I made in the last few days, and I know that it took a while, but I thought that you would like that more than something classic, and, -er, yeah, that's it, mostly », the human concluded, awkwardly opening the small cheese box in which he had installed his creation, looking at the god with something that looed like hope in his eyes.

Loki leaned in a little to see what the box contained, slightly perplexed to find a long ring, almost a claw, in it. The quality was undeniable, and he took the jewel cautiously between his fingers, noticing it had the exact lenght of his index. It was made of three distinct parts, tied together by a delicate black leather thread. A few pictures had been carved in the metal, in a remarkable imitation of the style that covered his armor; but instead of representing his children, these looked like a technological suit, drawn in an Asgardian style.

It was... Well, it was extremely pretentious from the mortal.

The drawings were a gift from the person wearing it to the one who was reprsented. Not the contrary.

But now that he thought about it, had he ever said so to the human? He had allowed him to trace the drawings on his armor from the tips of his fingers, but had he ever bothered to tell him what they represented?

Tony kept watching him with shiny, hopefilled eyes. The god held back a sigh and smiled tenderly instead, placing the ring on his index and leaning in to kiss the human on the cheek as a thanks.

It was only when he noticed the human's miserable pout that he realised it probably hadn't been the good reaction.

« ...What is it? Am I forgetting a mortal tradition again? » He asked, frowning a little.

« Y-you don't do that, in Asgard?

« Do what? » Loki insisted, perplexed. »

« T...the proposal? With a ring? No? »

Loki's eyes widened in disbelief, and the mortal's face crumbled miserably. The silence went on for a few long, long seconds, before Tony looked down pathetically to rub the back of his neck, searching for an excuse to evade the situation; Loki knelt at the same moment, pulling the human in a tight embrace and to kiss him deeply.

« When will we have the ceremony, my adorable and stupid human? » He whispered in a smile against Tony's skin.

~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious, the movie Loki was criticizing was 'Ever After', which is a fairy tale that I love, a lot. 
> 
> Also, in the comics, he paint his nails black. Well, we never see him painting them, but he has to at some point, I guess. 
> 
> Oh, and his children really are all over his armor! Anyway, Fenrir the Wolf and Jörmungandr the snake are. That's good parenting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which JARVIS is starting to have grey cables and his creator learns that, sometimes, he should think before he speaks.

Three hours. It had taken three hours, once the euphoria and the stammering were over, once Tony had accepted to follow Asgard's traditions to avoid being denied by his parents-in-law, and once Loki accepted to wear the ring to the right finger, before they managed to take a decision that pleased the both of them about the wedding ceremony.  
Had Tony not been in love with his Loki like he was, Tony could have asked himself if he hadn't taken a bad decision when he had (re)placed the ring to the (right) finger (of the right hand) of the prince. But, really, he was deeply in love with him. So he resignated himself despite the long, long argumentation. 

They had started by asking each other when and where; but soon enough, they had moved to a much more contrariating topic. Tony had said with a snickering that he wanted Coulson to take care of the ceremony, and that he looked forward to see the look on the faces of his colleagues at the ceremony. Loki had raised an eyebrow, shaking his head and claiming that Frigga had to be the one responsible of marrying them. She was the Allmother, afterall, and the goddess of marriage too. It was only normal that she took care of the protocol. 

After that, a long fight of glances and more or less logical arguments (« I can't just sacrifice a baby goat in public to please Asgard! PETA will kill me, Loki! » or « Your weddings are only lasting 'until Death do us appart'! Hel will be unbearable if she hears it! »), until they both accepted to mix the traditions of their Realms so that they could be satisfied with it. And, more important, so they could make everyone go insane. 

(Tony was specially looking forward to see Steve's expression when they'd announce that they planned to have children. Loki, on the other hand, had to admit that he couldn't wait to see Odin's reaction when he'd ask him to walk down the alley with him.)

But the composition of the invitation itself had already been a much more complicated argument for the engineer. 

Yes, they had to use the words « dear friends », even if they sent the invitation to Asgard and to the Avengers. Yes, they had to sign together, even if it sounded completely ridiculous. Yes, the aliens they were inviting on « Midgard » had to learn the basic rules before they could create a catastrophy with Russia or something. No, they couldn't list all of Loki's titles on just one invitation. 

Loki himself hadn't been so open to concessions, he couldn't deny it. 

No, Laufeyson and Odinson weren't words he would accept to hear or to read in this Tower for the centuries to come. Yes, it was necessary to insist that weapons would be forbidden on the day of the wedding -he refused to trust SHIELD (Tony had snapped back that 'Mephisto', whoever he was, didn't had a name to arrive with a basket of cookies and his best wishes of happiness to the couple, but Loki had pretended he didn't hear anything). And yes, he had to explain to his guests what the hell was an engineer or a scientist. 

Finally, after the three long hours of argumentation that even JARVIS hadn't bothered to keep following to try calming the two lovebirds -who loved each other, surely, deep inside, somewhere, the AI decided for them, despite the threats of divorce that had already been shouted three times in the first half of hour-, they had prepared an acceptable pile of invitations, all translated in English, in Asgardian Runes, and in symbols that Tony hadn't tried to understand, but that Loki had insisted to trace with red ink. The texte was brief, sort of polite, and very direct.

_« Dear Friends,_

_You are graciously invited to the wedding of Anthony Stark, warrior of Midgard, engineer/forger and scientist/alchemist, to Loki, from Asgard, sorcerer, God of Fire, Chaos, Lies, etc. The ceremony will take place on the 24th of July, at Stark Tower. It'll follow traditions of both Realms. Please take note that your weapons will be taken at the door. Confirm your presence as soon as possible by private messenger, e-mail, or raven._

_We hope to see you soon,_

_Loki & Tony_

_PS : The extra-terrestrial guests should take knowledges of Midgard's customs before the wedding. Please see the annexes for more information. »_

The two lovers exchanged a glance after Loki read the notice out loud, his voice calmer than before. Tony remained silent, as though he only just realised what was happening.

They had just written the invitations for their wedding. 

Their wedding. 

Loki had an engagement ring to his finger. 

Had JARVIS been human that he would have heavily sighed when the god and the human kissed, with as much passion as they had on the first day, fighting to dominate the kiss while Loki teleported the both of them to their room. These two would make him completely insane before the time.

~~~~~~~~~

The awakening was as slow and peaceful as the night had been loud and agitated. But then again, it wasn't such a surprise, concerning the alien and the hero.

Loki opened his eyes first, at the first lights of the dawn, as usual. A sleepy smile appeared on his lips when he saw the claw on his finger and and felt Tony's form wrapped around him, and he sighed softly in pleasure, closing his eyelids again and snuggling against the warm form to his side.

Unlike for the food, Asgardians had very little need of sleep, by comparison with the humans. Three, or four hours per day were perfectly enough for them to full their batteries. 

But Loki didn't had any objections, once in a while, to remain in bed with his human, for as long as he was asleep. First, because Tony had a very inferior level of sleep to most of his kind and didn't kept him waiting for hours, but, mostly, because there was something deeply cute in seeing him asleep. He was less arrogant, less proud, less defying... He was just warm, and cuddly, and smiling in his sleep in a way that Loki could have observed for hours. Of course, it wasn't impossible either that the sudden silence of the loud mortal had a connexion with the fact. 

Loki looked at him with a tender smile for a while, detailing his features in the dimmed light of the morning, once more. It was only after a little while that he frowned softly, when he saw something that he didn't like, and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to the purple marks in the neck of the human. He caressed his hips, gently, from the tip of his fingers to erase the bruises that had appeared on his skin, guilt making him grimace a little.

Someday, he would learn to remember that Tony lived in a mortal, frail body, too fragile for his own good, no matter what the human said about it when they got too enthusiastics in their embraces. 

Until that day, he would gently and discreetly cure each little injury of his lover when Tony couldn't see him, knowing that he would refuse otherwise.

His smile turned a little sad, a little resignated. 

They had talked about it already. 

Tony refused to eat a Golden Apple. Loki had been sincere about the human race's future. There were only for a few centuries more, maybe a few milleniums. Tony refused to see his world and his friends dying around him. 

The billionair ended up waking up under the delicate caresses of the god, groaning in satisfaction and stretching like a cat against his chest. 

« Hey », he murmured, opening an eye. « Good morning. »

« Slept well? » The god asked, amused by the look of his lover. 

« After last night, I could only sleep well », Tony mumbled with a wink. « I would have proposed to you earlier, if I had been aware of what enthusiasm it would give you. »

« You say that as though I was never affecionate before », Loki sneered, far from offended. « So, do you feel ready to become my husband? » He continued then, teasingly. 

« As prepared as can be when you are concerned, my chaotic love », the human replied with a muffled yawn. « I hope that you appreciate my effort. »

« Oh, to its full value, fear not », the god assured, fascinated once more by the transformation of the Iron Warrior, the Chitauris' Nightmare, as Thor had presented him to the Asgardian court, to a five-week old kitten, demanding for hugs. « But you still have to prove that your effort will work », he added distractly.

« What do you mean, that it'll work? I deal with these blood-craving journalists since I'm seventeen. And Fury never had his word to say anyway. I mean, we still have to deal with Clint, but- »

« I'm talking of the wedding, Anthony. Not of those who will witness it », the god interrupted, raising an eyebrow. « You asked for my hand. I gave it to you. It doesn't make anything official. »

A silence went on for a few seconds, during which Tony blinked, unsure if his lover was mocking him. Loki, on the other hand, was frowning lightly before his lack of reaction.

« You... do realise that it won't go that fast. Right? » He insisted after a long pause. « You said that the traditions of Asgard would be respected. I took it that you knew what you were talking about. »

«...Well... Yes, but... When JARVIS made his researches, he didn't find anything speaking of traditions before the wedding for the vikings, and I told you that we could sacrifice a goat if you- »

« Vikings?... Tony -vikings were humans! I'm talking to you of the customs of Asgard! »

A new, long pause followed. Loki's expression got more and more disbelieving as he realised that Tony had no idea of what he was talking about. Tony, on his side, looked properly alarmed. He took a deep breath, running a hand over his face and swearing between his teeth. 

« Okay. Too early in the morning to panick. » He finally mumbled, pushing himself outside of the bed. « I need a coffee. An Irish coffee. And then, you'll explain to me what I have to do beside preparing the Tower to receive a bunch of aliens. »

~~~~~~~~~~~

« So, you are basically telling me that, when I asked for your hand, I agreed to prove to everyone in Asgard that I deserved to own you? And you only tell me that now?! »

« Sir, can I recommand that you take deep inspirati- »

« Mute, JARVIS. For fuck's sake, mute. »

« I thought that you knew what you were doing! » Loki protested, his arms crossed on his chest, completely forgetting the hot chocolate that was slowly cooling down before him. 

Tony had always found it funny that the god hated so much the bitterness of tea or coffee. Just like Thor, Loki had a deep, adoration filled relation with sugar under its every form, and he'd rather eat like a five year old child than like a god of four thousands.

Today, though, it wasn't funny. The engineer was just too shocked and freaked out by the revelations of his lover to find anything funny. 

« But how was I supposed to know that?! » The human snapped back defensively. « It's completely ridiculous. I don't want you to be mine, it's -I mean, yes, it's the plan, but it sounds -I mean, we're talking about you here! You're not a furniture or -and how am I even supposed to prove that I'm worthy of owning you? It's ridiculous », he repeated, taking a deep gulp of his mug -which held more alcohol than coffee- to try digesting the news. 

« But you asked for my hand! » Loki insisted, shaking his head. « The man asks for the woman's hand, then he proves that he can take care of her. It has always been like that! On the day of the wedding, if he makes it there, the woman uses her magic on him. Magic is a feminine job, I was sure that you realised- »

« Loki, please, don't start again talking to me about the macho culture of your world », Tony whimpered, closing his eyes and taking a long pause to rub his eyelids, as though it would make the situation easier. « Okay. Fine. Explain. What do I have to do? I'll start freaking out after that. »

« We can still give up, if you wish », Loki remarked, grimacing a little. « The invitations aren't even sent yet... Nothing is keeping us from- »

« Loki. Just tell me. »

«...The main idea », Loki started after a deep sigh, « is to prove that you are a warrior and a man worthy of the privilege of marriage. There are several tasks to go through, as a demonstration. The first one is to kill a monster and to bring a part of its body, usually its head, to the brother of your future bride. Or her father, if she only has sisters- »

« Can you please stop talking of yourself as a she? » The human pleaded, despaired.

« The second one », Loki continued as though he hadn't been interrupted, « is to give her a gift of great value, to demonstrate that you have what it takes for her to live comfortably. Then, you must show your respect for her by spending a whole night sleeping next to her, without touching her even once. »

« What?! But- »

« The fourth task », Loki continued, looking like someone who tried to get rid of an unpleasant job, « is to convince the parents of your future bride that you deserve to have her. Then, you must prepare your own vows and promises for the wedding, even if there are a few you can't get rid off. »

« ...And that's all? That's it? It ends there? That's how I get to marry you? » Tony's voice was one of deep despair, and he had taken his head in his hands halfway through the explanation.

Loki nodded, looking uncomfortable. Tony sighed deeply, repeating the list mentally a few times. Preparing a few promises, it was no big deal. A gift for Loki? That wouldn't be hard. Spending his night next to him without any contact? It would be harder, but he could do it. Killing a monster, though? What monster, anyway? He lived in the USA -it wasn't as though he could go up to Alaska to find a polar bear. And they were almost extinct, anyway. As for convincing his parents-in-law to allow him to marry Loki? Well, he was doomed. 

« Tony... I repeat it, we can just give up on that », Loki insisted after a few minutes of silence, embarrassed by the situation. « I didn't meant to force you to anything... »

The human looked back up to stare at his god for a little while. He took his time, without any real shame, detailing the green eyes that he liked so much when they were sparkling with mischief, the think lips that he caressed so often with his, the hands with long and delicate fingers -that were now holding nervously at the side of the table. He took his time to look at his Loki, to each detail of his pretty face, his hesitant mimic, that tried not to look too guilty, and yet just appearing disappointed to the mortal. In the end, a smile, soft and vaguely resignated, found its place on his lips. 

« Ah, come on, what would life be without a bit of action? Tell me how to send the invitation to your space friends. I have until July 24th to be ready to marry you. »

Three weeks for everything to be perfect for the first union between Asgard and Midgard in history, to ssatisfy his royal and immortal parents-in-law, to survive to the imminent attack of every reporters in America, to be ready to marry the Lord of Chaos himself?

Come on, he was Tony Stark. He wouldn't need more than a few days.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Odin still fails at being a good dad and Coulson the Cool hits again.

« So. What kind of a monster do I have to kill? »

Tony's voice was calm, almost enthusiastic, now, in a way that couldn't be brought by anything else than cuddles with his favorite lover. 

JARVIS, loyal as always, despite his deep desire to roll his cameras repeatedly, had delayed every phonecalls received by the couple during the last two hours. 

Someday, really, the AI would have to contact his master's doctor to try and understand how the pair could manage two or three horizontal tangos a day without ever lacking energy -or imagination. If he had been the kind to hold a grudge, JARVIS would almost have suspected Loki to put something weird in Tony's glass when he couldn't notice. 

Still, it wasn't as though the human hadn't been eager to initiate the activities himself, this time. 

All it had taken was the god's expression, part shocked, part lost, after he had confirmed that he agreed to follow Asgard's traditions for him, as they were sending their invitations, and Tony had frowned in worry. 

« ...Of course, if you don't want to, we can just... not do it, you know », he had stated as he suddenly realised that Loki had suggested to give up the idea of a wedding twice in the last minute. He had frozen, afraid that he had forced his lover to something; but Loki had immediatly shaken his head in denial, leaving him even more confused. 

« Loke, what is it? We can wait, if you want. I don't want to force you to- »

The god interrupted him by placing a finger on his lips, smiling tenderly at him. 

« I simply did not wish to hear you say no », he had said, calmly, softly. Tony had stared at him for a few seconds, shocked, before pulling him into a long, passionate kiss that, once more, had gone completely wild. 

Then again, it wasn't that much of surprise. 

Still, as it was, a few hours later, the human spoke with a voice that was definitly much lighter and calmer than before, when he started talking of the adventurous quest he had accepted to go through for the pretty eyes of his god (currently closed, as their owner gently caressed his hair) (and as his smile faded, slightly, at the question). Panting, with messy hair and a skin made moisty by the sweat, the human didn't immediatly noticed, going on with his satisfied expression and his distracted tone. 

« I mean, I'm kinda sure that I could kill more or less any thing that lives on this planet, but PETA would really attack me if I did. I mean, unless it's an horrible insect or something alike. Maybe an aquatic monster, like, a giant squid? But your son might not take it well. So, maybe an insect. Could that work? »

« ...The beast chosen is expected to have a chance of fighting back, and a mind or strenght superior to yours », Loki stated after a small pause, his voice a little tensed. « If you may find an insect bigger than you, naturally, it should function. »

« An insect big-? » Tony repeated, before having a violent shiver, as though to get rid of a terrible, terrible vision. « Okay, no. None of that. Okay. Nothing alike your kids, that's just wrong, no giant insects, that's just freaky... I can't just kill an endangered something, I'll get in trouble. Can't you help? » 

« I am certain, intimately, that your violent slaughter of a few thousands of Chitauris was a proof entirely acceptable of your quality as a warrior », Loki stated simply, tone calm. 

« ...What? » Tony asked, surprised, rolling on his side to look at him. « But it was... months ago... And I don't have any bits to bring back to Thor. »

« I doubt really much that he would recognise a Midgardian creature as an acceptable capture, Anthony. They're... Far too tiny and petty », Loki said, without looking back. « But it would be practically impossible for you to kill something from another Realm without my help. Since I'm not allowed to give it to you, I simply think that you should use your acts of war. If the beast killed is not sufficient, Asgard's laws will chose for you, and I do not wish to see this happening. You fought an invasion that threatened all Yggdrasil. Why not use it at your own advantage? Asgard can't ask for more. » 

« ...So what had you kill for that chick you had to marry before? » Tony asked after a long pause, trying to see what the problem was this time. 

« A sand dragon. According to her family's orders. »

« And your... ex-husband? What did Anbrod -Angora -Arbrod- what did he brought back to Thor? »

« Angrbrodr. He first brought a Draugr... A vampire », Loki corrected himself at Tony's expression. « But it was not enough of a glorious death. »

« ...So? Asgard's laws? What did he had to kill? » Tony insisted, starting to be afraid of what he thought to understand. 

« The head of a Jötun warrior », Loki replied, taking a brief pause to swallow hard on his saliva before going on, just as calmly. « But as I said, none can ask of you to do such a thing, if you can offer them any better. The Chitauris will do. »

The silence that followed was of those so tensed that it could probably have powered Stark Tower for half a year. Loki kept his eyes on the ceiling, refusing to display any emotion about what he had just said. 

Tony, on his side, just silently looked at him with his mouth gaping in shock. 

The more time went by, the less the billionair liked Asgardian culture. 

And Odin. 

« Alright », he ended up saying, clearing his throat. « So. Chitauris it is. JARVIS, e-mail Phil for me, ask him what images he has of the invasion. How about we make breakfast, now? »

« No. You make me a breakfast », Loki countered, bringing a small smile to his lover's lips, who nodded gently before kissing him again, tenderly. 

« Alright. Strawberry milkshake for you. Your favorite. Just a sec. » 

The god nodded in answer, hugging the human for a few seconds longer before allowing him to leave the bed, curling up on the side, where the mattress was still warm from Tony's body.

~~~~~~~~~

Steve looked up from the sketch he had worked on since his awakening when the phone rang, interrupting him. The drawing represented, quite accurately, the sight from his window -the 'modern' version of Brooklyn, so different of the one that had seen him growing up and being beaten up at each street corner. His appartment was extremely small, but clean, discreetly located in an uneventful neighborhood. It was almost empty, but it wasn't as though he had a lot to store in. Or if he invited a lot of people.  
He muted the radio completely, answering the wireless phone without looking at the name on the screen. He couldn't help it, he didn't like the habit, at all. He felt like it took away all the spontaneity of the phonecall.

« Steven Rogers, hello? » He asked directly, sitting on the edge of his window. 

Afterall, his name was written very undiscreetly just above his doorbell -there was no use in hidding. Ironically, and despite every fans -and enemies- that Captain America still had, very few managed to connect the dots between the superhero mysteriously gone missing in the 40's and the young and discreet, bachelor drawer who helped the cat of the neighbors to get out of the too high trees he climbed into almost everyday. But then again, there were very few at all to give any credit to the « new » Captain America -a clone, an impostor, people magazines stated repeatedly. Steve didn't care all that much. He had enough to figure out by himself already without worrying about his reputation. 

« Cap -S-Steven? Philip Coulson, here », a slightly tensed voice stated on the other end of the phone. « How is it going? » 

« Oh -hi, Phil », Steve answered with a lightly relaxed smile. « Did Fury at last allow you to leave the hospital wing? »

A super-soldier blood transfusion to help the wound to heal, a Stark Industries battery to support a weakened heart, and a bit of Asgardian magic offered along the reparation of New York; the Agent's survival had had the hand more than forced, but he had survived anyway to Loki's attack -and without any sequels. Fury, as glad as he was to have his agent back, had insisted to keep him in the SHIELD labs until complete remission. 

Which was an euphemism to say that the surgeons had tried until the very last minute to get any more informations about Loki's Spear's functionment from the look of the injury, and, with even more attention, to make sure that it hadn't had a chance to control Philip. The Avengers had argued against the treatment of their friends until the very end, but in the end, Coulson himself had stated that he could use some rest to get rid of the paperwork that had piled up on his desk since his 'death', all while his doctors tried in vain to find some psychological tests that the agent wouldn't know by heart. 

One didn't simply psychoanalysed Philip Coulson, after all. 

« Oh, er, I -I returned to my usual position a few weeks ago, to be honest. I w-was just a -a little too busy to call. »

Well, safe when Captain America was involved. 

Actually, he had simply never dared to phone the Soldier when he had left the infirmary, despite Steve's demand to be warned when he'd « feel better ». He had been too scaqred to bother the man for such an unimportant matter. 

« I wished to know », he continued, clearing his throat a little nervously, « if you had received Stark and Loki's invitation? » 

« Invitation? » Steve repeated in surprise, foreseeable. « What invitation? »

« Didn't Stark warn you that they were getting married? » 

Coulson held back a grimace at the unmistakable sound of someone choking on his own saliva and coughing loudly to dry and get some air in his lungs. Oh. 

«Th-they what? Loki a-and-? They...? » 

« Oh, I suppose that they didn't want to shock you with the news », Phil implied cautiously, looking up at the sky to offer a silent prayer to the patron saint of the suicidal Agents.

It was a detail that had worried everyone in the Team. In Steve's 40's, Tony would never have had the chance of publicly announcing his relationship with the god of Chaos, of course. When he had decided to break the news to the Avengers, everyone had been shocked, of course -but everyone had naturally glanced at Steve, to see his reaction. 

Steve, though, hadn't made a fuss about it. He had fought along the side of many different men in the army, and had quickly learned to judge them after much more important details than whoever shared their bed at night. Howard himself had never deprived himself of exploring both sides of the fence, and to make his adventures known to each and everyone. The Soldier himself wasn't sure that he understood how two men could be attracted by each other, but he didn't get either how Clint could appreciate the horrible music that he played whenever he was flying a quinjet.

But the « sancticity of marriage »? Everyone knew that Steve was a religious man. Coulson prayed his gods that he wouldn't let the detail stop him. 

« Shock me wi-? I... No, no », Steve finally stammered, before he took a deep breath. « No, I'm just -I never imagined any of these two interested by... But, no, I... I didn't... Nope. No invitation », the soldier repeated, still sounding a little incredulous.

« I see », Phil replied, leaving out a breath he hadn't been conscious of holding back, and trying to keep the hope out of his voice. « I'm certain that it was just a mistake from them, but, just in case, if you wish, you might come along as my plus-one? The Colonel will send me anyway to keep an eye on Loki's guests. »

Phil's throat, in the silence that followed, felt drier than if he had spent a whole week sprinting around the Sahara desert.

« I -yeah, yeah, that'd be awesome », the soldier finally said, voice a little disbelieving, but not noticing anything weird in the demand. « When will they -marry? »

« On the 24th of July », Phil replied immediatly, heavily swallowing on his saliva before he went on. « I'll c-contact you again on the 20th then? Just to make sure that everything is alright? »

« Yeah, it's perfect, it's... Yeah. Thanks a lot for warning me, Phil, I -wouldn't want to miss that. »

Coulson nodded, smiling so widely that his cheeks, unused to the exercice, were a little numb when he hung up his phone. He took a deep, deep breath, making a little danse steps before he walked out of the alley from which he had phoned. Passing by a dump, he threw away the envelop marked with Stark Industries' logo that he had taken in Steve's postal box.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delays, people. I'm slowly melting and it makes it hard to translate this stuff >_>


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we explain why Pepper is out of the way, we mention that this story may be just a tiny bit of a crossover, and Loki is a panicked boyfriend.

“Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Where is- JARVIS!"

“On the handle of the closet's door, Sir", the Artificial Intelligence replied immediatly, empathising in an almost audible way to Tony's frantic panic as his master nearly stumbled on the carpet in his effort to reach said closet.

He grabbed the red and gold tie for which he had emptied half of his drawers in a swift motion, spitting insults after insults in his annoyance and nervosity. “For fuck's -it's a joke, it's a fucking joke, the guy wants to kill me", he muttered furiously as he tried to tie the offending piece of clothing around the neck of his black shirt, nearly having a heart attack at the impatient “Tony!" that was heard from the hallway. “Coming, Loki! Just half a second!" He hissed nervously as he looked around him quickly to look for his waistcoat, thanking Dummy with a relieved nod when the small robot handed it to him.

He was going to have a goddamned talk with Loki about Earth/Asgard visits schedules very soon.

Seriously.

It was ten in the morning, on a Sunday! Was it out of Frigga and Odin's abilities to arrive just a few hours later? Or, like, at least, warn that they were coming at all? Loki had insisted for the entire week, since they had sent their invitation -and a ridiculously official letter for his parents, asking the King and Queen to come and judge of Tony's worthiness- how important it was that he appeared at his best in front of them, if he did want them to agree to their wedding.

Given that, since the beginning of their relationship, Loki was constantly very nervous and grumpy every time his adoptive parents were mentioned, Tony had tried to reassure himself. Loki and Odin's relation had only become worse and worse after New York. The billionair had never quite managed to grasp every detail of the situation, but it was clear at least that Loki had only owed his chance to 'make amend' on Earth to his mother and brother. As far as he knew, while Odin had agreed to give Loki his freedom back in exchange of the loss of his titles, he had done it without ever trying to even ask why Loki had attacked New York at all.

For a guy that called him 'Allfather', Odin sure lacked a lot of essential parenting skills in Tony's eyes. And he knew his share about terrible dads.

(Sometimes, after a few or several drinks in his blood, Tony came to wonder if some sort of study would someday prove that having a shitty dad made someone much more likely to become a superhero or a supervillain than the average guy. Either way, JARVIS was not far from crafting official buttons for the 'my Dad Sucks' Club for Loki, Tony, Bruce and Clint for the next Father's Day.)

Still, as it was, Odin had just managed to fall even lower in grace to Tony's eyes by interrupting him in what had, until then, been a glorious morning of sleepy and comfy cuddling with his favorite Norse Gods.

He didn't understand. Loki had claimed that he wouldn't have to meet with his parents before he had found the perfect gift of his partner, and spent a night to his side without touching him once...

But, yeah. It wasn't like he was the one who had to love Frigga and Odin, was it?

He nearly killed himself on the carpet, again, as he rushed to grab his bottle of perfume, and he ordered Dummy to burn the damned thing as soon as possible. He ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and quickly left the room. He was Tony Stark, for god's sake. If someone on Earth could convince two gods to let him marry their disowned son, it would be him for sure.

* * *

 

“Jane? When you'll go get the order, can you please take the mail as well?"

“No problem!"

“Waiting for something?" Pepper asked curiously as she placed a mug of coffee next to the microscope.

Bruce adressed her a small smile in thanks, looking up from his work for one second. Shamelessly, the ginger leaned forward to offer him a kiss; he replied timidly and she smiled happily at his effort.

Three months earlier, and despite the fact that he had admitted by himself that he was attracted to her (or, more precisely, stammered awkwardly while hiding behind a file that she was an amazing woman and that Tony had not realised the luck he had when he had left her, but it was the equivalent in Bruce's language), her fiancé wouldn't even touch her if she didn't clearly ask him to do it. Slowly recovering from the Extremis Virus with the scientist's help (for really, who better than Bruce to teach her back how to control her emotions and her sudden super strenght?), Pepper had had to show a lot of patience to help Bruce, in return, to let himself go.

As Stark Industries' CEO, she had lived through much worst crisis than a Hulk, and she had always managed to keep Bruce from changing himself by accident. As for the scientist, Pepper's calm strenght kept charming him, and giving him the solid ground he needed to control himself and his alter-ego. And, until now, their strange union had worked for the two of them.

“Fury promised he'd send me a sample of Elvish diamonds Odin gave him", Bruce finally replied, turning his attention back to his microscope after a shy caress to Pepper's cheek. “SHIELD thinks they have a huge potential to completely disturb our laws of physic regarding electro-magnetical strenght. I think they could help Wolverine, keep him from getting stuck to every magnet on his way."

“Fury agreed to hand you over unknown, alien matter just so Logan could go through metal-detector in the airports?" Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

“I think his main concern might regard the fact that Magneto escaped prison recently", Bruce explained. “Nobody wants to see Wolverine controlled by the bad guys. Fury wants to bargain the technology against his help."

“...But?"

“But, it happens once in a while that scientifical works are totally unstable and disappear completely."

Pepper smiled, her eyes filled with amusement and fondness as she watched Bruce concentrating on his work once more. Her lover didn't trust SHIELD, even if he had agreed to be an 'official' Avengers after New York's events; it wasn't every day that he was offered ways to wipe out his trace completely from the countries he was researched in.

He knew Fury kept an eye on him, and Fury knew he knew. Their agreement was fragile, but both of them wanted it enough to maintain a peaceful relationship.

Still, the silent, but clear support the rest of the team, plus Coulson, showed for Bruce was enough to allow him to do what he wanted, without too much consequences, like the rest of the team.

(Sometimes, Pepper almost felt bad for Fury. The colonel was working on a regular basis with a _team_ of people just as stubborn and independant as Tony.)

“Mail!" Jane called lightly as she walked back into the room, holding their order of thai food and several enveloppes she was distractly examinating.

Jane had invited Bruce and Pepper to sharing the large house (and lab) she was renting in New Mexico, wanting to share the rent so that she could keep working on her researches without worrying too much about her budget. As for Thor, the god of Thunder had decided to remain on Earth as well for a while, and, despite Tony's hilarity when he had first heard the news, had decided to get an education to 'understand the humans better'.

The initiative might have been good, Loki had insisted, if Thor had been smart enough not to start with university, completely forgetting the fact that he couldn't even write with the latin alphabet instead of old nordic runes.

While that plan hadn't exactly worked out, after two years of repeated failures to each of his class, 'Donald Blake' had become a local celebrity in american football. He seemed content enough with that.

“No packages?” Bruce questioned as he took the three letters that Jane was handing him.

Bill, the new issue of the scientific magazine he followed, and, more strangely, a letter with Stark Industries' logo, on which his name and Pepper's had been handwritten with care. He frowned, perplexed, as he tore up the enveloppe.

“Nope, just those”, Jane replied as she went through her own sorting. “Uh? Stark's writing to me, now? Is JARVIS on strike?”

She didn't get an answer, as Bruce was frowning in confusion. The letter was written on a thick paper, and had apparently been transcripter in two other languages he didn't recognise. He discovered the English version of the text and started to read, a little lost. Pepper looked up over his shoulder, frowning and clearly wondering what Tony was up to this time. She was the first of the three to curse and bring a hand to her mouth in shock.

“Oh my god.”

“They- they are-?” Jane's eyes were wide with shock. “But -Loki's immortal! How can they even consider it?”

She stared in disbelief at the letter. She had always assumed that Tony and Thor's brother were mostly two insane men who enjoyed to sleep together. As for herself, she still often wondered what she was doing with a man who would live for centuries and centuries after her life. How could they both consider the option of a _wedding_ while knowing that it was only a fraction of time for Loki?

“Wait, what do they mean when they say they'll use traditions of both Realms?” Pepper interfered, frowning. “I thought Asgard was still throwing stones at gay couples.”

“...Yeah, and what about the fact that we're talking of _Loki_ and _Tony_ here?” Bruce asked, glancing from one to the other in disbelief. “The two biggest _divas_ in the world? Is nobody alarmed that they plan a _wedding_? Together? A wedding ceremony? For these two?”

“...They're warning that weapons are to stay outside... Who the fuck did Loki invite...?”

“I don't know, but I do look forward to see that”, Darcy said from the kitchen's door, smile satisfied. “Jane, I'm invited, right? Or can I be your plus one? I so need to see that.”

Jane looked at her with a mix of disbelief and disapproval. Still, she failed to formulate an articulate protestation before the phone rang, startling them all. Pepper, if only because she was used to it, quickly shook her surprise off to answer. She hardly had time to answer before she brutally pulled the phone away from her ear, grimacing.

Thor would never get used to Midgard's technology, and they all knew it.

(For his defense, there was some logic in his thoughts. Pepper was far away; it was only normal that he had to speak loudly for her to hear him.)

“I'm sorry, what?” Pepper managed to ask, carefully bringing the phone back to her ear.

“I wish you a great morrow, Lady Potts”, Thor greeted, loud enough to be heard in the entire room. “My apologies if I am inconvenient, but I need your assistance to verify the truth of shocking news I just received.”

“What about?” Pepper questioned, exchanging a glance with her boyfriend.

“My brother sent me a message that... confuses me, I admit. I know not if I must believe his words or if this is naught but one of his ideas of a joke.”

“And _I_ would know if Loki is being sincere?”

“My brother was speaking of... Of a rather unexpected event, concerning Anthony Stark and himself. I assumed that, surely, you would be one of the first to receive the news if it was true.”

“...Was he talking about a wedding?”

A brief silence followed, on the end of the line, before Thor sighed loudly.

Alright, then. At least they were not the most shocked.

“I thank you for your time, Lady Potts. I shall see you on the day of their union, I suppose. Please, offer my respect to the ladies Jane and Darcy, and to Bruce.”

Pepper promised she would, still keeping the phone to a respectable distance from her ear when she hung up. She looked back at the small group, and they exchanged a glance for a few long moments.

“So. He just learned the news, then?” Darcy asked curiously. She had taken a seat on the lab's counter to sip on her tea.

“Why would he call us to confirm?” Bruce asked, frowning a little. “I mean, it's not _that_ unlikely, is it? They signed together, afterall.”

“Unless the Horny Guy sent a more personal letter to his big brother”, Darcy suggested, ignoring Jane as she choked on her tea at the nickname. “I mean, I didn't spend that long with Loki, but when you read the myths... Doesn't sound that unlikely of him to convince Thor of something ridiculous about Earth's traditions to have some fun about it. That's the kind of thing I would do.”

 

* * *

 

“...I am not certain of agreeing to your, and Loki's choice, young Stark. Please understand that it is no way personal, but... Well, it would likely be better for everyone not to take the risk of giving the bad example.”

“The bad example?” Tony repeated, completely lost.

“Thor is the crowned prince and heir to the throne”, Odin explained a little impatiently. His intimidating golden armor was pretty much misfitting in the large leather couch where Tony had invited him to take a seat. “He fails to take care of his duty for Asgard since years already.”

“...I don't really see the connexion”, the ingenior admitted, an eyebrow raised as he looked at the king.

It had been twenty minutes since this conversation had started, and neither Odin nor Frigga had lost their dignified and distant look ever since. They had not moved one second, not even to make themselves more comfortable or to take a sip of the Coca-Cola Tony had served them. His usual charismatic number had remained desesperatly useless until now, and, frankly, he was slowly but surely starting to have a sensation that this was not going where he wanted it to go.

“My husband fears that Thor will, once again, try to follow Loki's example and to marry his... The mortal he fell in love with”, Frigga explained, her tone polite but still pretty cold. “This... woman will never have her chance to be crowned Queen of Asgard, and... Well, her entire lifespan represent too long a period to allow ourselves to wait her death to make Thor king.”

Alright. So much for the mortal/immortal segregation.

“But this is about Loki”, Tony insisted, starting to feel pretty annoyed himself. “Not Thor. Loki is not even linked to the throne, he said so himself. I'm just asking for his parent's blessing for our wedding to make him happy. His parents, not Thor's, and not the king and queen of Asgard.”

Odin straightened up suddenly, and Tony cringed on the inside, afraid he had stepped over an invisible boundary. A green vapor briefly surrounded Loki's parents, and he needed a few instants to realise that he had _indeed_ stepped over the boundaries when he found himself face to face with his fiancé, every trace of the two Aesirs gone.

“Such a disrespectful tone will make you lose all credit in front of them, Anthony”, the prince hissed, glaring at him in disapproval, as Tony blinked stupidly a few times, trying to get over his shock. “Not only that, it will be taken as a personal offense, and you can be sure that I will not even be allowed to stay with you.

“Loki!” Tony growled, indignated, but he had no time to carry on.

“And the glasses? Tony, I told you. Odin is the Allfather! You cannot simply offer him a drink without pouring yourself one and taking a sip of it in front of him!”

“Loki, for fuck's sake”, Tony groaned, taking a deep breath at Loki's nervous and disapproving look.

God's sake. Fucking karma.

His hand went to Loki's arm and gently squeezed, making his boyfriend's rant cut short, and he stared at him patiently until the other looked at him in the eyes. He had learned to deal with Tony in the craziest and most intense situations there were. Even if he had nearly been skinner alive when he had tried to speak with Loki of his Jötun parentage, he _had_ , afterall, spoken with Loki of his Jötun parentage, and that? Was a success he was really, really proud of.

“You know you could have just told me what to do and what not to do without trying to freak me out? Seriously. It's stressful enough as it is that I'll have to meet your parents.

“Precisely”, the sorcerer insisted, eyes nervous and voice pleading. “You'll never convince them the way you just tried! I had to see by myself what you would do before I could give you advices! I am _not_ kidding, Tony”, he added as he saw the human sigh deeply. “Do you not realise that their blessing is necessary? Mandatory?”

“Loki, it's half passed ten in the morning!”

Merciless, Loki shook his head instead and started to make Tony a list of all the mistakes that he had done, from the 'pathetic attempt' of a bow that he had used in front of his parents to the 'Jesus!' he had mumbled on his way to the room (it seemed tripping over a damned carpet for the third time was no excuse for blasphemy and christianity). Taking a deep breath for courage, as it seemed he was there for a while, Tony sat back in the couch to listen and wait for it to be over.

There really was just Loki to do something like that.

And Tony did find him kind of cute when he was that nervous.

Fine -he'd learn to greet the damned Aesirs properly, if it was so important to Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Yeah. I did need seven months to translate a 3k words chapter. Um.


End file.
